


Howling in the Night

by LadyAhiru



Series: the trials and tribulations of Dagger, the herbalist [1]
Category: The Witcher (TV), Wiedźmin | The Witcher (Video Game), Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types, Wiedźmin | The Witcher Series - Andrzej Sapkowski
Genre: Forehead Kisses, M/M, Multi, Pre-Romance, Pre-Slash, Reader-Insert, literally sleeping together, pack sleeping, soft
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-23
Updated: 2020-10-23
Packaged: 2021-03-09 00:35:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,050
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27165334
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyAhiru/pseuds/LadyAhiru
Summary: The Reader is new at Kaer Morhen and has troubles sleeping. When he is haunted by a nightmare the Wolf pack intervenes.
Relationships: Eskel & Male Reader, Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia/Jaskier | Dandelion, Jaskier & Male Reader, Lambert & Male Reader, Witchers & Male Reader, Witchers/Male Reader
Series: the trials and tribulations of Dagger, the herbalist [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1983440
Comments: 14
Kudos: 45





	Howling in the Night

**Author's Note:**

> The Male Reader is named Dagger and has brown hair/brown eyes.

Dagger had theoretically been prepared for the difference between serving as a herbalist at court and helping out the last Wolf Witchers of Kaer Morhen after his friend Jaskier had batted his pretty eyelashes at him. He trusted Jaskier but to be fair he was scared. Not of the Witchers no, he stopped believing in the scary stories and tales after the first night with Geralt and Jaskier on the open road after they had picked him up.

You could not be really afraid of someone who purred when their partner brushed their hair and softly whispers “Julek” in their sleep while making grabby motions in the bard’s direction. Dagger had softly smiled and snuggled into his own bedroll, tired and excited of new things to come.

When he had first met Jaskier, five years ago, he had barley been thirteen, still so very green behind the years and yet his talent for herbs and alchemy had already been far superior to much older crafters. First Dagger had been happy to work at court but the strict structure and rules had made him feel unwelcome. Even after five years, he had not felt at home at the Countess de Steals estate and he had been tired of brewing the same potions over and over again.

So, when Jaskier had dropped by and told him that the Witchers of Kaer Morhen were looking for a specialist, that he would be able to have his own laboratory and greenhouse, to experiment and research well, the bard did not have to peruse him much. The tall human boy had packed faster than the ink on his new contract could dry and followed Jaskier and his Witcher out into the unknown.

The first months were rough. Dagger was not shy but the other Witchers were hard to read. They weren’t unfriendly per se, well maybe Lambert was but he could not figure out how to actually befriend them. The only one he really clicked was Vesemir who shared his love for brewing potions and experimenting with different chemicals and to Daggers utter delight the older man let him take the lead on their work.

Eskel greeted him and nodded at him during meals but hasn’t really spoken to him yet. Geralt grunted mostly but since Dagger had spent more time with him than the others, he at least had some idea how to read him. Actually, that was a lie. It had been almost 2 months, Winter now fully here and he was missing social contacts. Jaskier made sure to check in with him and spend time with him but he missed being hugged and touched if even casually.

Sometimes he felt like he was walking on glass, unsure how the relationship between the other Witchers was. First, he had believed Geralt and the bard a couple but he had seen Jaskier leave early morning from both Eskels and Lamberts room, hair dishevelled and neck covered in soft bruises. 

At this point, he had mostly given up to figure out what was happening and tried concentrating on his work, yet he felt lonelier with each passing day.

It was almost the end of the year when it all came to a halt. It had snowed for days and the loud howling wind had mad Daggers drifty room even colder. It had taken him ages to finally fall asleep when he was haunted by awful nightmares of his childhood. Tossing and turning the young man whimpered in his sleep.

On the other side of the long hallway, Lambert raised his head.

“You heard that?”

Eskel pressed closer, his head resting against Lambert's shoulder, while Jaskier hugged him from behind. “Mhm…no? Maybe Juleks stomach?”

Geralt, who was wedged against Lambert's other side let out an amused snorting sound while Jaskier softly swatted at Eskels shoulder.

“No, there it is again….” It took Lambert a bit to shimmy out of the Witcher sandwich he had lain in and put on lose shirt before leaving the room and following the soft cries into Dagger room.

“Hey, Flowerboy, come on wake up.”

With a loud huff, the skinny boy sat up and stared at Lambert, his soft brown eyes blown wide as he wrapped his arms around himself, slightly shivering.

“Oh…I…. oh, I am sorry. Did I wake you?”

Now Lambert may be an asshole but even he drew the line making fun of someone who had clearly experienced a nightmare.

Taking note of the cold room and the overall state of the young herbalist he gently scooped him up in his arms.

“Lambert! What do you think you are doing!?”

Dagger punched against the Witchers shoulder who huffed bemused at the impact.

“I am taking you to the Wolfs Den. You are one of us it is time you spend the night with us now.”

Confused Dagger wrinkled his forehead and soon found himself in Eskels room. The first thing he saw was a giant bed, covered in furs and blanket while a hot fire burned in the nearby fireplace. The room looked warm comfy and inviting and the deep knot of longing in Daggers stomach only started to burn more.

Before he could say anything, Lambert had thrown him onto the bed where, he found himself between Eskel and Lambert who climbed in after him. Jaskiers blue eyes smiled tenderly at him as the bard reached out to ruffle his short brown hair.

“I get it….I told them you would not understand on your own, that we should just invite you but these morons…” he gestured at the Witchers. “said we should just wait.”

The bard yawned and smilingly he pressed Dagger into the bed, gently holding his hand.

Eskels arms held the herbalist close but lose enough that the other could push away if he wanted to and Lambert pressed a soft kiss against the herbalist's forehead.

“I….I don’t understand.”

Grunting Geralt fished for the blankets.

“You are pack. Family. And we take care of our own. Now sleep. We will protect you.”

Slowly Dagger allowed himself to close his eyes, trusting that he was indeed in a save place. Wrapped in Lamberts and Eskels arms, Jaskiers hand in his own he slowly drifted to sleep dreaming of sunshine and soft clouds.

**Author's Note:**

> This is for a very special friend.  
> If people like it I might do a sequel ;)


End file.
